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Finding your ikigai
- 1. Finding your “reason for being” Erik F. Pavesic, M.S. Career Counselor
- 3. 日本語レッスン (Japanese Lesson) おはようございます • O-ha-yo-o-go-za-i-ma-su (Good morning) 今日はいい天気ですね • Kyo-o wa i-i ten-ki de-su ne (It’s good weather today, isn’t it?) 生き甲斐 • I-ki-ga-I (purpose in life)
- 4. 生 き 甲 斐い か い I - KI Life; Alive KA - I Effect/Result; Worth; Use Ikigai Reason for living
- 6. HTTP Error 404 404 Not Found The Web server cannot find the file or script you asked for. Please check the URL to ensure that the path is correct. Please contact the server’s administrator if this problem persists.
- 7. Are you ready to discover your Ikigai?
- 8. Do… what you love… • What do you love to do? • What would you do if money was no object? • What would your friends say makes you happy? • What would you do on a Saturday morning if you had nothing else to do?
- 9. Do…what you’re good at… • What skills have you picked up over your lifetime? • What makes you feel powerful or in-control? • When you were growing up, what were you known for? • What accolades do you take for granted?
- 10. Do…something for the world… • What are things affecting the world? Your country? Your State? Your community? • What could you do to make things better? • What are ways that you can contribute?
- 11. Do…something that can sustain you… • What are potential careers? • What are opportunities that you can be compensated for that might not exist yet? • What services do you provide that others might be willing to pay for?
- 14. What You Love What Pays What You’re Good At What the World Needs Ikigai
- 15. But what if I am still lost?
- 17. Volunteer Go on a trip Join a club Take a class Talk to someone Say “Yes” Read about it Practice it Don’t stagnate do something
- 18. Available for download at sagecareer.org
Editor's Notes
- Good morning. My name is Erik Pavesic and I am honored to be with you today. I am a Career Counselor… but I am also a person of faith, I am son, I am a husband, I am brother, I am a friend, I am a mentor, I am a teacher; I am really bad at sports; I love esoteric trivia; I cannot play a musical instrument but I enjoy music; I also get nervous presenting in front of groups of people; I am also running a workshop in presentation skills later, so hopefully I am not disappointing any of you planning to attend that workshop. I first became aware of Educators Rising a few months ago and I must say I have been a fan of it ever since. I find it remarkable that you are all exploring your interests, your passions, and areas you feel “called” to. I have been asked to speak with you today about finding your purpose, about finding your reason for being. Hopefully I can help you, and in exchange you may develop the tools to help others.
- Guam’s proximity makes it an appealing destination for much of East Asia, including China, Korea and Japan. Because it is a popular tourist destination, it became the first place where I was exposed to and learned about the Japanese culture and language. It is the land that brought us a variety of cultural icons; from hello kitty to karate, from samurais to sushi to Shinto, and who doesn’t know about pokemon? In school I had to select a foreign language. I had the opportunity to choose between Spanish, French, and Japanese, so I figured I would learn a language that I might not otherwise have the chance to given my proximity to the country. So time for a little language lesson and my apologies if my 日本語 (ni-hon-go) is 悪い (wa-ru-i), it’s been over a decade since I have had regular practice.
- Stay with me please, this will all start to make sense in a moment. So let’s have a日本語レッスン (Ni-hon-go Res-son). おはようございます (O-ha-yoo Go-za-i-mas) – Good morning 今日はいい天気ですね (Kyoo-wa i-i ten-ki de-su ne?) – It’s good weather today, isn’t it? In the event of rain, say “Kyoo-wa uten desu ne”. And finally… 生き甲斐 (I-ki-ga-i) – purpose in life.
- This last one is what I want to focus this presentation on. It’s a compound word that combines the two words “i-ki”, meaning life, and “ka-I” meaning result, worth. The best way to say it in English is “reason for being”. Your purpose in life if you will. Ikigai is a principle that originated in Okinawa. Another way to think of it is your reason to get up in the morning—beyond perhaps a cup of coffee. During challenging periods in life, we use this purpose to move us through it. You may already know what this is, or you may not. You may feel that you had it at one point, but lost it. You may have no idea what it is at all. Regardless of who you are, I hope that my message today will help you find the right path.
- This is a hallway, and some use it as a metaphor for life. Different doors, different turns, some well lit, others dark. Some doors are marked, others maybe not. Individuals come to me all the time worried that they do not know what to do. Should they take this route or that route? Sometimes they do not even know what pathway they are on, why they got on that pathway, and whether or not they should get off and find a new pathway. Like this hallway, sometimes we are daunted by the unknown.
- Now as much as I would love to have a crystal ball, the truth is that I do not. Likewise, they are seldom a reliable source. In fact, I would rather ask a magic eight-ball. So please do not ask me what yours is. Currently I work with college students, but I have previous experience with all age groups. Comedienne Paula Poundstone once said “why do adults ask children what they want to be when they grow up? Because they are looking for ideas”. And sometimes I feel we lose our ability to find out what works for us because we spend too much time comparing ourselves to others.
- So let’s pull apart the construct of Ikigai a little bit further. Are you ready?
- Do what you love. What do you love to do? What would you do if money was no object? What would your friends say makes you happy? What would you do on a Saturday morning if you had nothing else to do? For example, I love many things. I love cooking, I love riding my bike, I love watching movies, I love puzzles, and I love learning languages.
- Do what you are good at. What skills have you picked up over your lifetime? What makes you feel powerful or in-control? When you were growing up, what were you known for? What accolades do you take for granted? I like to think that I am good at listening, or visual compositions. I like to think that I am a good baker, a good driver, a good husband, and a good son.
- Do what the world needs. What are things affecting the world? The country? The State? The Community? What could you do to make things better? What are ways you can contribute? I feel that the world needs trust, accountability, but also help. I volunteer my time tutoring children of migrant workers. I help adults navigate their career paths.
- Do something that can sustain you. This is typically referred to as the “what pays” section, but given that your ikigai could be to be the most wonderful spouse and parent in the world—you may not need to think of this as compensation. So ask yourself: What are potential careers? What are opportunities that you can be compensated for that might not exist yet? What services do you provide that others might be willing to pay for? I am fortunate that I have a University that views my knowledge, skills, and abilities as an asset, and therefore will compensate me for my efforts.
- Ikigai is a reflection exercise. In many ways it is a journey of discovery. So it is not a passive task. When I work with students on the construct of ikigai, I let them know that it is a combination of several components: What do you love? You always hear people talk about passion, “follow your passion and the money will follow”. But it is not the only criteria. What are you good at? Talents and aptitudes sometimes help to reinforce us because they provide us with accolades and recognitions. What does the world need? We are a social creature in an increasingly globalized society, so it is import to examine how your values align with the needs of the community. What pays? Or rather, what can maintain your lifestyle. After all, we do need to eat, have a home, and be safe. So let’s take a look into each one of these components a little further. As we go, I want you to start to reflect on your answers to these. You may not have an answer immediately and that is perfectly normal. Again, ikigai is about discovery.
- And as you picture the circles of the Venn Diagram overlapping, there are some interesting subsets: What you love plus what you are good at is your passion What you love plus what the world needs is your mission What you are good at plus what you can be paid for is your profession What you can be paid for plus what the world needs is your vocation
- But these are just stepping stones, because your ultimate goal is to make it to the center. To find out the ultimate overlap of each four elements. That’s your reason for being, your ikigai.
- Now you may be telling yourself: Erik I don’t know, I am still lost, I can’t figure it out, I don’t know what to write down, I have not experienced enough in the world to feel confident enough to find my ikigai. Let me tell you, you should never feel forced. Again, ikigai is about discovering what is right for you. When you find it you will know.
- Sometimes I encounter students who are unable to decide what to declare for their major. Let me share an analogy with you. You may be stuck in the “Cereal aisle”. You probably are all familiar with this section of the grocery store. Rows upon rows of brightly colored boxes. Some are sugary, some are plain, some have fruit, some are high in fiber, some are organic, the variety is certainly mind-boggling. And if you had never tried cereal before, but were told you would have to pick ONE box and spend the rest of your life eating it, you may be paralyzed.
- But the greatest thing about life is that it is seldom one box. So try the variety. Life is full of so many rich experiences. So if you don’t know what you love, go find it. If you don’t know what you are good at, try something you haven’t tried before. If you don’t know what the world needs, explore. And if you don’t know what you can be paid for…well, Career Counselors like me are everywhere. But regardless, don’t stagnate…do something. That’s the best thing about an event like this. You are having new experiences today, and who knows, maybe today is the day you learn about your ikigai.
- I have designed a worksheet for you to help you find your ikigai. Start by listing off your answers and slowly uncover the overlap and commonalities. Take your time, again this process is about reflection and discovery.
- My reason for getting up in the morning is to help people find their way in life. As a Career Counselor, I do what I love. I am good at listening to people and sharing resources that help them learn about themselves and what they are capable of. I volunteer my time working with individuals, hoping that if I help others get on the right pathway I could make the world a better place. And finally, I am thankful that a local university compensates me for my time, my talent, and my energy. I use to be a person who looked longingly at others who found their ikigai, or calling, or purpose, or whatever label they attached to it. It took me over 30 years, and almost 20 different job titles or roles, to find it. So if you haven’t found it, be patient but still take action. You will find it. It is out there. With that saidありがとうございました (a-ri-ga-to go-za-i-ma-shi-ta) – in English, Thank you. Best wishes on your continued pursuit of your ikigai. Enjoy teacherpalooza.